U.S. patent number 11,072,306 [Application Number 16/621,938] was granted by the patent office on 2021-07-27 for gas generator.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Joyson Safety Systems Germany GmbH. The grantee listed for this patent is JOYSON SAFETY SYSTEMS GERMANY GMBH. Invention is credited to Jochen Benz, Hans-Jurgen Divo, Christine-Martina Ganso, Gerhard Klingauf, Roland Schnabl.
United States Patent |
11,072,306 |
Divo , et al. |
July 27, 2021 |
Gas generator
Abstract
The invention relates, among other things, to a gas generator
for generating a driving gas for a vehicle safety device, wherein
the gas generator comprises: an ignition device; fuel which, after
ignition using the ignition device, generates the driving gas; an
at least partially tubular carrier element, in the tube interior of
which a combustion chamber for the fuel is located; an
injection-moulded body which fixes the ignition device in the
connection hole and is located with an inner portion inside the
carrier element and with an outer portion outside the carrier
element; a feed pipe which is connected to a pipe end of the
carrier element and which conveys the driving gas out of the
combustion chamber; and a lid sealing the combustion chamber.
Inventors: |
Divo; Hans-Jurgen (Langenau,
DE), Benz; Jochen (Ulm, DE), Ganso;
Christine-Martina (Bibertal, DE), Schnabl; Roland
(Ulm, DE), Klingauf; Gerhard (Balzheim,
DE) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
JOYSON SAFETY SYSTEMS GERMANY GMBH |
Aschaffenburg |
N/A |
DE |
|
|
Assignee: |
Joyson Safety Systems Germany
GmbH (Aschaffenburg, DE)
|
Family
ID: |
1000005702519 |
Appl.
No.: |
16/621,938 |
Filed: |
August 16, 2018 |
PCT
Filed: |
August 16, 2018 |
PCT No.: |
PCT/DE2018/200077 |
371(c)(1),(2),(4) Date: |
December 12, 2019 |
PCT
Pub. No.: |
WO2019/052609 |
PCT
Pub. Date: |
March 21, 2019 |
Prior Publication Data
|
|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20200122681 A1 |
Apr 23, 2020 |
|
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Sep 15, 2017 [DE] |
|
|
10 2017 216 384.4 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60R
21/261 (20130101); B60R 21/264 (20130101); B60R
2021/26088 (20130101); B60R 2021/26029 (20130101); B60R
2021/2612 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B60R
21/264 (20060101); B60R 21/261 (20110101); B60R
21/26 (20110101) |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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100 31 865 |
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Jan 2002 |
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DE |
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60 2005 002 281 |
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Jan 2008 |
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DE |
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10 2007 023 046 |
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Nov 2008 |
|
DE |
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10 2012 023 031 |
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May 2014 |
|
DE |
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0 488 937 |
|
Jun 1992 |
|
EP |
|
0 488 937 |
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Jun 1992 |
|
EP |
|
0 943 503 |
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Sep 1999 |
|
EP |
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1 564 090 |
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Aug 2005 |
|
EP |
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02/02375 |
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Jan 2002 |
|
WO |
|
2013/027691 |
|
Feb 2013 |
|
WO |
|
2013/075710 |
|
May 2013 |
|
WO |
|
2013/075710 |
|
May 2013 |
|
WO |
|
Other References
International Search Report dated Jan. 2, 2019 issued in
PCT/DE2018/200077; filed Aug. 16, 2018. cited by applicant .
German Examination Report dated Jul. 9, 2018 issued in German
Patent Application No. 10 2017 216 384.4; filed Sep. 15, 2017.
cited by applicant.
|
Primary Examiner: Gooden, Jr.; Barry
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Scully; Gordon Rees Mansukhani,
LLP
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A gas generator (10) for generating a driving gas (G) for a
vehicle safety device, wherein the gas generator (10) comprises: an
ignition device (80), fuel (70) which, after ignition by the
ignition device (80), generates the driving gas (G), a tubular or
at least partially tubular carrier element (20, 20a), a tube
interior of which contains a combustion chamber (60) for the fuel
(70), and which has a connection hole (24) for the ignition device
(80), an injection-molded body (40) which fixes the ignition device
(80) in the connection hole (24) and is situated with an inner
portion inside the carrier element (20, 20a) and with an outer
portion (43) outside the carrier element (20, 20a), a supply pipe
(30) which is connected to a tube end (21) of the carrier element
(20, 20a) and conducts the driving gas (G) out of the combustion
chamber (60), and a lid (50) which seals the combustion chamber
(60) and which, before ignition of the ignition device (80),
separates the combustion chamber (60) from the supply pipe (30),
characterized in that the injection-molded body (40) has a sleeve
portion (41) which lies against an inner wall (25) of the carrier
element (20, 20a) and extends inside the carrier element (20, 20a)
up to the lid (50), so that the injection-molded body (40) and the
lid (50) delimit the combustion chamber (60) towards the outside,
the carrier element (20, 20a) and the supply pipe (30) are screwed
together, and the pipe end of the supply pipe (30) facing the
carrier element (20, 20a) presses the lid (50) onto the
circumferential sleeve edge (41a) of the sleeve portion (41) remote
from the ignition device (80).
2. The gas generator (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in
that the carrier element (20, 20a) has an internal thread (22) and
the supply pipe (30) has an external thread (31), and the external
thread (31) of the supply pipe (30) is screwed into the internal
thread (22) of the carrier element (20, 20a).
3. The gas generator (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in
that the combustion chamber (60) is delimited physically
exclusively by the injection-molded body (40) and the lid (50).
4. The gas generator (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in
that the carrier element (20, 20a) has a drainage hole (26) leading
radially towards the outside in the region of the combustion
chamber (60), and the drainage hole (26) is closed by a closure
portion (26) of the injection-molded body (40) and together
therewith forms a valve (100) of the gas generator (10) which, in
an open state, allows the driving gas (G) to escape radially
towards the outside.
5. The gas generator (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in
that the connection hole (24), at which the ignition device (80) is
fixed by means of an inserted or attached injection-molded body
(40), is situated in the outer wall (27) of a tubular portion of
the carrier element (20, 20a), and the injection-molded body (40)
extends outwardly through the connection hole (24) in an extension
direction (E) which is arranged at an angle, a right angle, to the
longitudinal direction (L) of the tubular portion of the carrier
element (20, 20a).
6. The gas generator (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in
that the connection hole (24), at which the ignition device (80) is
fixed by means of an inserted or attached injection-molded body
(40), is formed by a tube end (23) of the carrier element (20, 20a)
remote from the supply pipe (30).
7. The gas generator (10) as claimed in claim 6, characterized in
that the tube end (21) of the carrier element (20, 20a) facing the
supply pipe (30), and the tube end (23) of the carrier element (20,
20a) remote from the supply pipe (30) are axially arranged or are
aligned.
8. The gas generator (10) as claimed in claim 6, characterized in
that the opening diameter of the carrier element (20, 20a) is
reduced at the tube end (23) remote from the supply pipe (30), and
the injection-molded body (40) is inserted in the tube end of the
carrier element (20, 20a) with reduced diameter.
9. The gas generator (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in
that the outer portion (43) of the injection-molded body (40) forms
a contact sleeve portion which outwardly surrounds electrical
connection elements (81) of the ignition device (80) which are
guided out of the carrier element (20, 20a).
10. The gas generator (10) as claimed in claim 9, characterized in
that the contact sleeve portion is formed such that it can receive
an electrical interface element for electrical contacting of the
electrical connection elements (81) of the ignition device
(80).
11. The gas generator (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in
that a middle portion (42) is arranged between the inner portion of
the injection-molded body (40) and the outer portion of the
injection-molded body (40), the diameter of the middle portion
being smaller than that of the inner and outer portions.
12. The gas generator (10) as claimed in claim 11, characterized in
that the diameter of the connection hole (24), at which the
ignition device (80) is connected by means of an inserted or
attached injection-molded body (40), corresponds to the diameter of
the middle portion (42).
13. The gas generator (10) as claimed in claim 11, characterized in
that the opening diameter of the carrier element (20, 20a) is
reduced at a tube end remote from the supply pipe (30), and the
diameter of the middle portion (42) corresponds to a reduced
opening diameter of the carrier element (20, 20a) at the tube
end.
14. A gas generator (10) for generating a driving gas (G) for a
vehicle safety device, wherein the gas generator (10) comprises: an
ignition device (80), fuel (70) which, after ignition by the
ignition device (80), generates the driving gas (G), a tubular or
at least partially tubular carrier element (20, 20a), a tube
interior of which contains a combustion chamber (60) for the fuel
(70), and which has a connection hole (24) for the ignition device
(80), an injection-molded body (40) which fixes the ignition device
(80) in the connection hole (24) and is situated with an inner
portion inside the carrier element (20, 20a) and with an outer
portion (43) outside the carrier element (20, 20a), a supply pipe
(30) which is connected to a tube end of the carrier element (20,
20a) and conducts the driving gas (G) out of the combustion chamber
(60), and a lid (50) which seals the combustion chamber (60) and
which, before ignition of the ignition device (80), separates the
combustion chamber (60) from the supply pipe (30), characterized in
that the carrier element (20, 20a) has a drainage hole (26) leading
radially towards the outside in the region of the combustion
chamber (60), and the drainage hole (26) is closed by a closure
portion (26) of the injection-molded body (40) and together
therewith forms a valve (100) of the gas generator (10) which, in
an open state, allows the driving gas (G) to escape radially
towards the outside.
15. A gas generator (10) for generating a driving gas (G) for a
vehicle safety device, wherein the gas generator (10) comprises: an
ignition device (80), fuel (70) which, after ignition by the
ignition device (80), generates the driving gas (G), a tubular or
at least partially tubular carrier element (20, 20a), a tube
interior of which contains a combustion chamber (60) for the fuel
(70), and which has a connection hole (24) for the ignition device
(80), an injection-molded body (40) which fixes the ignition device
(80) in the connection hole (24) and is situated with an inner
portion inside the carrier element (20, 20a) and with an outer
portion (43) outside the carrier element (20, 20a), a supply pipe
(30) which is connected to a tube end of the carrier element (20,
20a) and conducts the driving gas (G) out of the combustion chamber
(60), and a lid (50) which seals the combustion chamber (60) and
which, before ignition of the ignition device (80), separates the
combustion chamber (60) from the supply pipe (30), characterized in
that the connection hole (24), at which the ignition device (80) is
fixed by means of an inserted or attached injection-molded body
(40), is situated in the outer wall (27) of a tubular portion of
the carrier element (20, 20a), and the injection-molded body (40)
extends outwardly through the connection hole (24) in an extension
direction (E) which is arranged at an angle, in particular a right
angle, to the longitudinal direction (L) of the tubular portion of
the carrier element (20, 20a).
Description
The invention relates to a gas generator for generating a driving
gas for a vehicle safety device, for example for a belt tensioner
device, a belt winder and/or an airbag.
International patent application WO2013/075710 A2 discloses a gas
generator for generating a driving gas for a vehicle safety device,
wherein the gas generator comprises: an ignition device; fuel
which, after ignition by the ignition device, generates the driving
gas; a tubular or at least partially tubular carrier element, the
tube interior of which contains a combustion chamber for the fuel
and which has a connection hole for the ignition device; an
injection-molded body which fixes the ignition device in the
connection hole and is situated with an inner portion inside the
carrier element and with an outer portion outside the carrier
element; a supply pipe which is connected to a tube end of the
carrier element and conducts the driving gas out of the combustion
chamber; and a lid which seals the combustion chamber and which,
before ignition of the ignition device, separates the combustion
chamber from the supply pipe.
The invention is based on the object of improving a gas generator
of the type described above.
According to the invention, this object is achieved with a gas
generator having the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments
of the gas generator according to the invention are described in
the subclaims.
According to the invention, it is provided that the
injection-molded body has a sleeve-like portion which lies against
an inner wall of the carrier element and extends inside the carrier
element up to the lid, so that the injection-molded body and the
lid delimit the combustion chamber towards the outside, the carrier
element and the supply pipe are screwed together, and the pipe end
of the supply pipe facing the carrier element presses the lid onto
the circumferential sleeve edge of the sleeve-like portion remote
from the ignition device.
An advantage of the gas generator according to the invention is
that the supply pipe and the carrier element--with respect to the
rotational angle between the two parts--can be twisted relative to
each other during installation, and a desired rotational angle
between the components may be set without adversely affecting the
sealing effect of the lid which lies on the sleeve-like portion. In
concrete terms, this is because the lid and/or the sleeve-like
portion can at least slightly deform and yield when the supply pipe
is pressed on. In the case of an injection-molded body made of
plastic, for example a rotational angle range of up to
.+-.180.degree. may be achieved between the supply pipe and the
carrier element.
It is advantageous if the carrier element has an internal thread
and the supply pipe has an external thread, and the external thread
of the supply pipe is screwed into the internal thread of the
carrier element.
The combustion chamber is preferably delimited physically
exclusively by the injection-molded body and the lid. In this
variant, the fuel is thus enclosed by the injection-molded body and
the lid.
With a view to dissipating any over-pressure inside the carrier
element, in particular in the case of a malfunction or misuse of
the vehicle safety device fed by the gas generator, it is
considered advantageous if the carrier element has a drainage hole
leading radially towards the outside in the region of the
combustion chamber. The drainage hole is closed by a closure
portion of the injection-molded body and together therewith forms a
valve of the gas generator which, in open state, allows the driving
gas to escape radially towards the outside. In this variant, the
injection-molded body offers a further function: not only does it
fix the ignition device in the connection hole and allow the
above-mentioned facility of setting a desired rotational angle
between the carrier element and the supply pipe, but in addition it
forms a valve in the case of a malfunction or misuse. In other
words, a synergy effect is created, which is based on the knowledge
that an injection-molded material is at least slightly deformable
and allows adjustment of the rotational angle, and in addition may
function as a valve. The opening of the valve may be achieved by a
melting of the closure portion; in this case, the valve is a melt
valve. Alternatively or additionally, it may be provided that the
opening of the valve is achieved by an at least partial bursting of
the injection-molded body and expulsion of the closure portion; in
this case, the valve is an over-pressure valve.
With a view to compact accommodation of the gas generator in or on
a vehicle safety device, it is considered advantageous if the
connection hole, at which the ignition device is fixed by means of
the inserted or attached injection-molded body, is situated in the
outer wall of a tubular portion of the carrier element, and the
injection-molded body extends outwardly through the connection hole
in an extension direction which is arranged at an angle, in
particular a right angle, to the longitudinal direction of the
tubular portion of the carrier element. In this embodiment, the
ignition device and the injection-molded body may for example be
mounted perpendicularly to the supply pipe, whereby a particularly
compact construction of the entire arrangement can be achieved.
In another embodiment, also regarded as advantageous, it is
provided that the connection hole, at which the ignition device is
fixed by means of the inserted or attached injection-molded body,
is formed by a tube end of the carrier element remote from the
supply pipe. In this variant, the carrier element may for example
be formed by a tube and thus form a drive tube.
In the latter variant, it is advantageous if the tube end of the
carrier element facing the supply pipe, and the tube end of the
carrier element remote from the supply pipe, are axially arranged
or are aligned.
It is also advantageous if the opening diameter of the carrier
element is reduced at the tube end remote from the supply pipe, and
the injection-molded body is inserted in the tube end of the
carrier element with reduced diameter.
The outer portion of the injection-molded body preferably forms a
contact sleeve portion which outwardly surrounds the electrical
connection elements of the ignition device which are guided out of
the carrier element.
The contact sleeve portion is preferably formed such that it can
receive an electrical interface element for electrical contacting
of the electrical connection elements of the ignition device.
A middle portion is preferably arranged between the inner portion
of the injection-molded body and the outer portion of the
injection-molded body, the diameter of the middle portion being
smaller than that of the inner and outer portions.
The diameter of the connection hole, at which the ignition device
is connected by means of the inserted or attached injection-molded
body, preferably corresponds to the diameter of the middle
portion.
In the case of a tube as the carrier element, it is advantageous if
the opening diameter of the carrier element is reduced at the tube
end remote from the supply pipe, and the diameter of the middle
portion corresponds to the reduced opening diameter of the carrier
element at the tube end.
The invention also concerns a gas generator for generating a
driving gas for a vehicle safety device, wherein the gas generator
comprises: an ignition device; fuel which, after ignition by the
ignition device, generates the driving gas; a tubular or at least
partially tubular carrier element, the tube interior of which
contains a combustion chamber for the fuel and which has a
connection hole for the ignition device; an injection-molded body
which fixes the ignition device in the connection hole and is
situated with an inner portion inside the carrier element and with
an outer portion outside the carrier element; a supply pipe which
is connected to a tube end of the carrier element and conducts the
driving gas out of the combustion chamber; and a lid which seals
the combustion chamber and which, before ignition of the ignition
device, separates the combustion chamber from the supply pipe;
characterized in that the carrier element has a drainage hole
leading radially towards the outside in the region of the
combustion chamber, and the drainage hole is closed by a closure
portion of the injection-molded body and together therewith forms a
valve of the gas generator which, in open state, allows the driving
gas to escape radially towards the outside. With respect to
advantageous embodiments of this invention, the statements above
apply accordingly; the features listed above may also be used
advantageously in this invention.
In addition, the invention relates to a gas generator for
generating a driving gas for a vehicle safety device, wherein the
gas generator comprises: an ignition device; fuel which, after
ignition by the ignition device, generates the driving gas; a
tubular or at least partially tubular carrier element, the tube
interior of which contains a combustion chamber for the fuel and
which has a connection hole for the ignition device; an
injection-molded body which fixes the ignition device in the
connection hole and is situated with an inner portion inside the
carrier element and with an outer portion outside the carrier
element; a supply pipe which is connected to a tube end of the
carrier element and conducts the driving gas out of the combustion
chamber; and a lid which seals the combustion chamber and which,
before ignition of the ignition device, separates the combustion
chamber from the supply pipe; characterized in that the connection
hole, at which the ignition device is fixed by means of the
inserted or attached injection-molded body, is situated in the
outer wall of a tubular portion of the carrier element, and the
injection-molded body extends outwardly through the connection hole
in an extension direction which is arranged at an angle, in
particular a right angle, to the longitudinal direction of the
tubular portion of the carrier element. With respect to
advantageous embodiments of this invention, the statements above
apply accordingly; the features listed above may also be used
advantageously in this invention.
The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to
exemplary embodiments; here, the drawings show as an example
FIG. 1 an exemplary embodiment of a gas generator according to the
invention in cross-section,
FIG. 2 an exemplary embodiment of a gas generator according to the
invention which is also equipped with a valve,
FIG. 3 an exemplary embodiment of a gas generator according to the
invention in which an ignition device is not arranged axially, as
in the exemplary embodiments according to FIGS. 1 and 2, but
radially, and
FIG. 4 the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 3 with an additional
valve.
In the figures, for the sake of clarity, the same reference signs
are always used for identical or comparable components.
FIG. 1 shows a gas generator 10 in cross-section. The drawing shows
a tubular carrier element which is formed by a drive tube 20. A
supply pipe 30 of the gas generator 10 is screwed onto the
right-hand tube end 21 of the drive tube 20 in FIG. 1. It is
advantageous if an internal thread 22 is cut or provided in the
region of the tube end 21 of the drive tube 20, into which an
external thread 31 of the supply pipe 30 is screwed.
The left-hand tube end 23 of the drive tube 20 in FIG. 1, which is
remote from the supply pipe 30, is reduced in diameter, for example
by plastic deformation. The tube end 23 of the drive tube 20 forms
a connection hole 24 in which the injection-molded body 40 is
inserted or attached during molding.
The injection-molded body 40 has a sleeve-like portion 41 which is
arranged inside the drive tube 20. The sleeve-like portion 41 lies
against an inner wall 25 of the drive tube 20 and extends in the
drive tube 20 from the connection hole 24 up to a lid 50. The lid
50 lies on a circumferential sleeve edge 41a of the sleeve-like
portion 41 of the injection-molded body 40.
FIG. 1 shows that the lid 50 is arranged between the sleeve edge
41a of the sleeve-like portion 41 and the supply pipe 30 such that
the supply pipe 30, which is screwed to the drive tube 20, presses
the lid 50 onto the sleeve edge 41a.
The sleeve-like portion 41 and the lid 50 delimit a combustion
chamber 60 of the gas generator 10 which contains fuel 70.
The injection-molded body 40 also has, as well as the sleeve-like
portion 41 situated inside the drive tube 20, a middle portion 42
and an outer portion 43. The middle portion 42 extends through the
connection hole 24 of the drive tube 20 and fixes the
injection-molded body 40 relative to the drive tube 20.
The outer or external portion 43 of the injection-molded body 40
forms a contact sleeve portion which outwardly or radially
surrounds the electrical connection elements 81 of an ignition
device 80 which are guided out of the drive tube 20.
The ignition device 80 is partially embedded in the
injection-molded body 40 and is held inside the drive tube 20 by
the injection-molded body 40. The drive device 80 serves to ignite
the fuel 70 in the combustion tube 60 when an electrical ignition
signal is applied to the electrical connection elements 81 of the
ignition device 80.
In the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 1, the receiving space for the
fuel 70 (or the combustion chamber 60) is delimited exclusively by
the sleeve-like portion 41 and the lid 50. When the lid 50 is
pressed onto the sleeve edge 41a of the sleeve-like portion 41 by
the supply pipe 30, the receiving space for the fuel 70 (or the
combustion chamber 60) is sealed tightly, preferably hermetically,
before ignition of the ignition device 80.
Since injection molding materials such as plastic or casting resin
are usually at least slightly plastically and/or elastically
deformable, the gas generator 10 in FIG. 1 has the advantage that,
when the supply pipe 30 is screwed onto the drive tube 20, it can
press the lid 50 in the direction of the tube end 23 under
deformation of the sleeve-like portion 41, so that the relative
rotational angle between the supply pipe 30 and the drive tube 20
can be adjusted. Depending on the material of the injection-molded
body 40, it is possible to twist the drive tube 20 relative to the
supply pipe 30 by up to or even more than .+-.180.degree. without
adversely affecting the sealing effect of the lid 50 on the sleeve
edge 41a. In other words, it is thus possible to adjust the
rotational angle between the supply pipe 30 and the drive tube 20
virtually arbitrarily during mounting of the gas generator 10 on or
in a vehicle safety device, for example a belt tensioner or belt
winder or airbag device, for example in order to be able to align
the electrical connection elements 81 relative to an external
electrical plug or external electrical socket (not shown in FIG.
1), without adversely affecting the sealing effect of the lid 50 on
the sleeve edge 41a.
The gas generator 10 preferably functions as follows:
When an ignition signal is applied to the electrical connection
elements 81, the ignition device 80 is ignited and ignites the fuel
70 present in the combustion chamber 60. The ignited fuel 70
generates a driving gas G which abruptly increases the pressure
inside the combustion chamber 60 and leads to tearing of the lid
50. The driving gas G can thus exit the drive tube 20 through the
burst lid 50 and be conducted by the supply pipe 30 either to a
belt tensioner device, a belt winder and/or an airbag device.
FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of a gas generator 10 which in
its inner structure corresponds substantially to the gas generator
10 in FIG. 1. In contrast to the exemplary embodiment according to
FIG. 1, the drive tube 20 of the gas generator 10 in FIG. 2 has a
drainage hole 26 which leads radially towards the outside in the
region of the combustion chamber 60 and is closed by a closure
portion 46 of the injection-molded body 40. The closure portion 46
of the injection-molded body 40, together with the drainage hole 26
in the drive tube 20, forms a valve 100 of the gas generator 10
which, in open or melted state of the closure portion 46, allows
the driving gas G to escape radially towards the outside.
The valve 100 or the closure portion 46 present in the drainage
hole 26 melts and opens the drainage hole 26, if dissipation of the
driving gas G from the drive tube 20 is blocked for any reason and
the hot driving gas G builds up in the combustion chamber 60.
Alternatively or additionally, the closure portion 46 may break
away from the remainder of the injection-molded body 40 purely due
to over-pressure and be expelled from the drainage hole 26.
FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of a gas generator 10 which in
its structure corresponds substantially to the gas generator 10 in
FIG. 1. In contrast to the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 1, in the
exemplary embodiment in FIG. 3, the carrier element (marked with
reference sign 20a) is not continuously tubular but only tubular in
portions. The carrier element 20a is closed in the region of the
end 23a remote from the supply pipe 30. The partly tubular carrier
element 20a may for example be formed by plastic deformation of a
base tube which is reshaped such that, as shown, the connection
hole 24 for the injection-molded body 40 no longer aligns axially
with the tube end 21 but lies radially on the outer wall 27 of the
tubular portion of the carrier element 20.
Alternatively, the merely partially tubular carrier element 20a
shown in FIG. 3 may also be a pot-like element, preferably made of
metal, which was produced by deep-drawing or casting. The
circumferential pot wall then forms a tubular portion of the
carrier element, and a tube end 21 of the tubular portion lies
axially opposite the pot base.
In the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 3, the inserted or attached
injection-molded body 40 may therefore be arranged not axially to
the tube longitudinal direction L of the tubular portion of the
carrier element 20a, or axially to the longitudinal direction of
the supply pipe 30 (in the connecting region to the drive tube 20),
but at right angles thereto. In other words, the extension
direction E of the injection-molded body 40 and hence that of the
ignition device 80 extends at right angles to the longitudinal
direction L of the tubular portion of the carrier element 20a.
A valve, such as for example the valve 100 in FIG. 2, may also be
provided in the angular embodiment according to FIG. 3. Such an
embodiment is shown in FIG. 4.
Although the invention has been illustrated and described in detail
with reference to preferred exemplary embodiments, the invention is
not restricted by the examples disclosed and other variants may be
derived by the person skilled in the art without leaving the scope
of protection of the invention.
LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS
10 Gas generator
20 Drive tube
20a Carrier element
21 Tube end
22 Internal thread
23 Tube end
23a Remote end
24 Connection hole
25 Inner wall
26 Drainage hole
27 Outer wall
30 Supply pipe
31 External thread
40 Injection-molded body
41 Portion
41a Sleeve edge
42 Portion
43 Portion
46 Closure portion
50 Lid
60 Combustion chamber
70 Fuel
80 Ignition device
81 Connection elements
100 Valve
E Extension direction
G Driving gas
L Longitudinal direction
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